Source: fena.ba
SARAJEVO, 21 August (FENA) – Deputy Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH and Federal Minister of Development, Entrepreneurship and Crafts Vojin Mijatović held a meeting today with a delegation from the Republic of Poland, at which the formation of a portfolio of companies from both countries that are already present or want to be present in these markets was agreed.
Mijatović said at a press conference that priority sectors for joint projects will be defined after the portfolio of companies is formed.
– It is also planned to organize business conferences and fairs in the coming period. Special focus is on the defense industry, energy, agriculture and tourism. The meeting did not cover political topics, except for confirmation of BiH’s European path. Today we talked exclusively about economic cooperation. Trade between BiH and Poland amounts to around 650 million euros, with a deficit on the BiH side. This is an opportunity to strengthen the position of our companies on the Polish market, introduce new companies and be good hosts to Polish companies that want to come to the Federation of BiH – said Mijatović.
He added that the Government of the Federation of BiH will provide full support to businesspeople and enable fast and quality cooperation.
– We discussed joint projects in the defense industry, energy, agriculture and tourism. This is the first meeting, and the next step is the exchange of company portfolios, after which priorities will be determined and concrete activities launched – said Mijatović.
The President of the Polish Agency for Industrial Development, Bartłomiej Babuśka, emphasized that the meeting was direct and concrete.
– In the coming weeks and months we will form a joint team that will monitor and coordinate projects in key branches. There are numerous opportunities for the successful implementation of everything we agreed on – said Babuśka.
The President of the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of BiH, Marko Šantić, expressed satisfaction with Poland’s interest, as an EU member state with almost 40 million inhabitants and a strong economy, in investing in BiH.
– Our goal is for millions to grow into billions. It is gratifying that we quickly moved from diplomatic tone to concrete proposals in several sectors. I invited the Polish delegation to visit the industrial fair in Tešanj next month, and next year also the fair in Mostar, where they will have the opportunity for direct interaction with businesspeople from the Federation of BiH – said Šantić.
Mijatović also recalled that earlier similar initiatives with Hungary resulted in new forms of cooperation. He emphasized that the size of Poland, its population and the strength of its economy open up great opportunities for economic exchange.
– The fiscal and financial stability of the Federation of BiH enables businesspeople to plan and implement activities in a secure business environment – added Mijatović.
The meeting marks the beginning of more intensive bilateral dialogue between BiH and Poland, with the aim of strengthening economic capacities, increasing trade and creating new business opportunities for companies from both countries.
The meeting was attended by the Director of the Department for International Cooperation of the Center for Internationalization of the Polish Chamber of Commerce, Zoriana Czajkowska, and the director and owner of the company “Rifamm” d.o.o. Lukavac, Boris Milić, who is the representative of the Polish Chamber of Commerce for the Southeast Europe region.
